Vol. 11, Special Issue 10 (2022)

The present study was carried out in the Experimental Field of Division of Forest Products & Utilization of the Faculty of Forestry, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences & Technology of Kashmir, Benhama, Ganderbal during 2019-2021. The germplasm was collected from two districts of central Kashmir viz., Srinagar (Dachigam, Dara, Harwan, Saedpora & Shalimar) and Ganderbal (Anderwan, Lar, Behama, Kangan & Sonamarg). Five sites from each district were selected based on distribution and abundance of the species. The study revealed that two species of Asparagus viz. Asparagus racemosus and Asparagus officinalis were found in two districts of Central Kashmir. The Asparagus plant species under study were perennial with crown-shaped (adventitious) and fasciculate root systems. Cladodes in Asparagus racemosus has a curved, needle-like shape and are light green in colour, arranged alternately while as cladodes in Asparagus officinalis are flat, needle-like and dark green in colour with whorled arrangement. Asparagus racemosus has petite, fragrant, white flowers, while Asparagus officinalis has yellow and non-fragrant flowers. Fruit type is berry. In Asparagus racemosus colour of berries is black while as in Asparagus officinalis colour of berries is red.